Food Assistance Program

Are you a currently enrolled student skipping meals, or eating less because of paying for other expenses, such as rent? Have you exhausted all of the financial aid resources offered to you this academic year, including all student loan options? Are you ineligible for financial aid? We can help! UC Berkeley strives to ensure that all students have access to nutritious food. We want you to be able to concentrate on your studies, plan for the rest of the term, and not worry about how you'll get your next meal.

If you lack access to food in the short-term, applying to our food assistance program may be an option for you. Through the support of an additional funding source, we encourage all students who are experiencing food insecurity to review and apply for the Food Assistance Program.

Who Can Apply?

- Currently enrolled graduate and undergraduate financial aid recipients who have short-term needs, such as during in-semester breaks, and have exhausted other funding options, including all student loan options, may be eligible for Cal 1 Card dollars. Eligible finanical aid recipients need to have a complete 2016-17 financial aid file and are expected to have utilized all student loan options when submitting an application.

- Currently enrolled graduate and undergraduate students who are US citizens, permanent residents or AB 540 eligible who have not completed a FAFSA or a Dream Act application, or are not eligible to receive financial aid per federal, state or institutional regulations, and have short-term needs may also be eligible for Cal 1 Card dollars.

Students awarded assistance through this program may be required to submit additional information, attend a one-on-one financial counseling session to explore additional aid options, and/or develop a spending plan. The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office may monitor the use of additional funding to help counsel students and improve the program.

Note: The food assistance program is intended to assist only the student applying, not additional family members. International students are not eligible for this program. Submission of an application is not a guarantee of approval.